Assessing the impact of public health interventions on the transmission of pandemic H1N1 influenza a virus aboard a Peruvian navy ship

Delphis M. Vera, Ricardo A. Hora, Anarina Murillo, Juan F. Wong, Armando J. Torre, David Wang, Darbi Boulay, Kathy Hancock, Jacqueline M. Katz, Mariana Ramos, Luis Loayza, Jose Quispe, Erik J. Reaves, Daniel G. Bausch, Gerardo Chowell, Joel M. Montgomery

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Limited data exist on transmission dynamics and effectiveness of control measures for influenza in confined settings. Objectives: To investigate the transmission dynamics of a 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza A outbreak aboard a Peruvian Navy ship and quantify the effectiveness of the implemented control measures. Methods: We used surveillance data and a simple stochastic epidemic model to characterize and evaluate the effectiveness of control interventions implemented during an outbreak of 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza A aboard a Peruvian Navy ship. Results: The serological attack rate for the outbreak was 49·1%, with younger cadets and low-ranking officers at greater risk of infection than older, higher-ranking officers. Our transmission model yielded a good fit to the daily time series of new influenza cases by date of symptom onset. We estimated a reduction of 54·4% in the reproduction number during the period of intense control interventions. Conclusion: Our results indicate that the patient isolation strategy and other control measures put in place during the outbreak reduced the infectiousness of isolated individuals by 86·7%. Our findings support that early implementation of control interventions can limit the spread of influenza epidemics in confined settings.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)353-359
Number of pages7
JournalInfluenza and other Respiratory Viruses
Volume8
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2014

Keywords

  • Disease outbreak
  • Influenza
  • Military personnel
  • Peru
  • Ships
  • Transmission

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Epidemiology
  • Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Infectious Diseases

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